Vegetarian diet: How to get the best nutrition
A well-planned vegetarian diet is a healthy way to meet your nutritional needs. Find out what you need to know about a plant-based diet.
Adopting a healthy vegetarian diet isn’t as simple as scraping meat off your plate and eating what’s left. You need to take extra steps to ensure you’re meeting your daily nutritional needs.
Many vegetarian eating plans exist. At the very least, they exclude red meat, chicken and fish. Some vegetarian diets also exclude eggs and milk products. The Vegetarian Diet Pyramid shows a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. It features whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables and includes moderate amounts of nuts and seeds, soy, egg whites, dairy products and plant oils.
A healthy vegetarian diet consists primarily of plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Because the emphasis is on nonmeat food sources, a vegetarian diet generally contains less fat and cholesterol, and typically includes more fiber.
Vegetarians fall into groups defined by the types of animal-derived foods they eat:
- Vegans eat only plant-based foods. They don’t eat foods from animals, including meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs and cheese.
- Lacto-vegetarians consume milk and milk products along with plant-based foods. They omit eggs as well as meat, fish and poultry.
- Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs, milk and milk products, such as cheese and yogurt, in addition to plant-based foods. They omit red meat, fish and poultry.
- Flexitarians (semivegetarians) primarily follow a plant-based diet but occasionally eat small amounts of meat, poultry or fish.
To keep your vegetarian diet on track, you may find using a vegetarian food pyramid helpful. This pyramid outlines various food groups and food choices that, if eaten in the right quantities, form the foundation of a healthy vegetarian diet.
No matter what your age or situation, a well-planned vegetarian diet can meet your nutritional needs. Even children and teenagers can do well on a plant-based diet, as can older people, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you’re unsure whether a vegetarian diet is right for you, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.
Meat alternatives
Meatless products, such as tofu dogs, soy burgers, nut loaves or texturized vegetable protein, add variety to your vegetarian diet. These products, found in many grocery stores and health food markets, simulate the taste and texture of meat and usually have less fat and fewer calories. Many of the meatless products, such as tofu or tempeh, are made from soybeans.
If you follow a vegan diet, you may need to find alternatives for eggs and dairy products. Try these suggestions when meal planning or cooking:
Milk. Drink fortified soymilk, rice milk or almond milk in place of cow’s milk.
Butter. When sauteing, use olive oil, water, vegetable broth, wine or fat-free cooking spray instead of butter. In baked goods, use canola oil.
Cheese. Use soy cheese or nutritional yeast flakes, which are available in health food stores.
Eggs. In baked goods, try commercial egg replacers — a dry product made mostly of potato starch. Or you can use the following to replace one egg: 1/4 cup whipped tofu or 1 tablespoon milled flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water. For an egg-free omelet use tofu instead of eggs.
Ensuring adequate nutrition
The more restrictive a diet is, the more difficult it is to get all the nutrients your body needs. A vegan diet, for example, eliminates food sources of vitamin B-12, as well as milk products, which are a good source of calcium. Other nutrients, such as iron and zinc, are available in a meatless diet, but you need to make an extra effort to ensure they’re in yours.
Here are nutrients that may be deficient in a vegetarian diet and how you can get these nutrients from nonmeat sources:
- Protein. Your body needs protein to maintain healthy skin, bones, muscles and organs. Vegetarians who eat eggs or dairy products have convenient sources of protein. Other sources of protein include soy products, meat substitutes, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
- Calcium. This mineral helps build and maintain strong teeth and bones. Low-fat dairy foods and dark green vegetables, such as spinach, turnip and collard greens, kale, and broccoli, are good sources of calcium. Tofu enriched with calcium and fortified soy milk and fruit juices are other options.
- Vitamin B-12. Your body needs vitamin B-12 to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia. This vitamin is found almost exclusively in animal products, including milk, eggs and cheese. Vegans can get vitamin B-12 from some enriched cereals, fortified soy products or by taking a supplement that contains this vitamin. - Iron. Like vitamin B-12, iron is a crucial component of red blood cells. Dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark leafy green vegetables, and dried fruit are good sources of iron. To help your body absorb nonanimal sources of iron, eat foods rich in vitamin C — such as strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli — at the same time you consume iron-containing foods.
- Zinc. This mineral is an essential component of many enzymes and plays a role in cell division and in the formation of proteins. Good sources of zinc include whole grains, soy products, nuts and wheat germ.
The key to a healthy vegetarian diet — or any diet for that matter — is to enjoy a wide variety of foods. Since no single food provides all of the nutrients that your body needs, eating a wide variety helps ensure that you get the necessary nutrients and other substances that promote good health.
Getting started
If you’re thinking of switching to a vegetarian diet but aren’t sure where to begin, start with menu planning.
- Start with what you know. Make a list of meatless meals you already prepare regularly, such as spaghetti with tomato sauce or vegetable stir-fry.
- Make meatless substitutions. Select meals that could easily become meat-free with a couple of substitutions. For example, you can make vegetarian chili by leaving out the ground beef and adding an extra can of black beans or soy crumbles. Or make fajitas using extra-firm tofu rather than chicken. You may be surprised to find that some dishes require only simple substitutions.
- Experiment with new meal ideas. Buy or borrow vegetarian cookbooks. Scan the Internet for vegetarian menus or for tips about making meatless substitutions. Check out ethnic restaurants to sample new vegetarian cuisine. The more variety you bring to your vegetarian diet, the better the chance you’ll meet all your nutritional needs.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Jan 5, 2008
A look at the role of chiropractors in the NFL by Dr. Spencer Baron
Well, for all of you fans out there, week one of the NFL is done…hope you enjoyed it. Do you ever wonder how it is these guys keep coming back, week after week, tackle after tackle? Perhaps the chiropractic angle has played a larger role than what you suspected.
One thing professional athletes do not have to worry about is healthcare. Teams want their players healthy; they want to get their money’s worth. Longevity on the playing field is paramount, because for every year a player remains competitive, millions of dollars may be earned.
A perfect example is the $35 million salary of quarterback Peyton Manning. His healthcare team would not use the “no pain, no gain” treatment principles depicted in the 1979 motion picture North Dallas Forty.
Scenes in that movie showed players receiving multiple shots of anesthetics for torn ligaments and tendons so that they could continue playing.
Today, athletes, their agents, athletic trainers, and medical doctors understand the consequences of disabling the pain mechanism and have come to align themselves with the chiropractic perspective — treat the cause of the pain.
All but one of the 32 teams in the National Football League (NFL) utilize the services of a chiropractor as part of the triage in managing and preventing injuries. (Only one team does not publicly admit to using chiropractic care — the Oakland Raiders.)
Three teams have two chiropractors who adjust players, and a few teams engage DCs to perform only soft-tissue work, independent of the adjusting DC.
The average pro football chiropractor renders 30 to 50 treatments per week during the season. With the in-season (game-playing) duration lasting 16 weeks (not including quarterback camp, mini-camp, and pre- and post-season), 34 chiropractors conservatively give 16,320 to 27,200 adjustments to America’s superstars in just 120 days.
The diversity of relationships among the 31 teams and their chiropractors has generated the formation of the Professional Football Chiropractic Society (PFCS). Our main goal is to provide consistency among constituents, as we take the best practices from each alliance and create a template to apply to chiropractors who work with other pro sports.
With professional football — namely, the NFL — as the best-run business in sports (next to auto racing), these parameters bear a critical view for chiropractic to position itself as an indispensable tool in the wellness care, improved sports performance, and injury rehabilitation of professional athletes.
A PRO TEAM DC PROFILE
Recently, the PFCS surveyed its members about their team relationships. A compilation of statistics from the survey reveals some interesting information:
• Titles vary. Of the 32 teams, 24 chiropractors are referred to as the “official chiropractor.” Three are specifically considered “chiropractic consultants,” while 24 are listed as the “team chiropractor.”
• In the media. Ten team chiropractors are listed in the media guide, which is sent to every media outlet in the country and beyond. Three are listed on their team’s Web site, which is the property of the NFL.
• Shared quarters. War stories whispered throughout our profession indicated that in the past, players who wanted chiropractic adjustments had to meet with a chiropractor in hotel bathrooms, parking lots, or back alleys.
Now, 26 chiropractors share the training room with athletic trainers and team physicians, while 10 give adjustments in the locker room, and three treat in the weight room.
• Have table, will travel. Thirteen team chiropractors participate in the arduous task of traveling with their teams and treat players in hotel rooms or at the home team’s stadium.
• Some contractors, few employees. Sixteen (16) provide services as (1099) contractors, while four are salaried employees of the teams.
• Varied compensation. The compensation for team chiropractors ranges considerably. Twenty of the doctors receive paraphernalia (logo-laden clothing, shoes, and caps) in exchange for services. Some are given season tickets, while others receive a stipend ranging from $5,000 to $30,000 for a year’s contract that maintains and spells out the relationship.
• Insurance reimbursements accepted. The fees charged by team chiropractors vary from $40 to $220. NFL players are covered by Cigna PPO; 12 chiropractors accept reimbursements for treatment. These reimbursements can generate $40,000 to $60,000 annually.
• Many techniques. Most of the doctors use diversified adjusting techniques, although four use low-force methods, and one uses sacro occipital technique (SOT).
• Much soft-tissue work. Approximately 84 percent of the practitioners utilize one or a combination of soft-tissue techniques. Seventeen use trigger point; 13, myofascial release; 11, ART; seven, Graston; four, Nimmo; and two, MRT.
• Game-day work. Catering to the needs of a team’s management requires 16 chiropractors to render service on game day. The most common weekday for treatment is Friday.
• Men only. Currently no women provide chiropractic services to the NFL.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Surprisingly, perhaps, the survey does not support the assumption that acquiring certification as a chiropractic sports physician (CCSP) or earning a diplomate in sports chiropractic would be career-enhancing prerequisites.
Instead, respondents say the most important characteristics to win a place on a pro team are a teamwork mindset and the ability to communicate with players and other healthcare staff.
Team chiropractors anecdotally report that referral was a key to working with the team. For example, they said, “I treated one player and he brought the others in.” and “I became friends with the athletic trainer (or medical doctor or owner) and they allowed me to come on board.”
If you have aspirations of becoming a team chiropractor — regardless of the sport — developing your professional expertise and honing your communication skills are essential. And being in the right place at the right time doesn’t hurt.
The important thing is that positioning of a chiropractor on a professional team will continue to put this profession in a high profile and very credible atmosphere —advertising we just can’t buy.
Can You Wear Out Your Joints? By Robert Schmerling, MD
There’s a joke I heard when I first started studying arthritis: A 90 year-old man sees his doctor complaining of pain in his knee. His doctor asks him, “What do you expect? You’re 90 years-old.” The old man replies, “Yes, but my other knee is also 90 and it feels fine.”
That pretty much sums up why “wear and tear” arthritis is not an accurate description of osteoarthritis (OA), or degenerative joint disease. Just because you live a long time, doesn’t mean you’ll inevitably wear out your joints.
Why Your Joints Aren’t Like Tires
Degenerative joint disease is more common with aging, so it may seem logical to assume osteoarthritis is due to “wear and tear.” It’s also true that extreme or unusual stress on joints can cause damage that leads to osteoarthritis. But for most people, arthritis due to normal wear and tear is a myth. Your joints aren’t like a car’s tires or a light bulb that inevitably wears out over time with enough use.
Osteoarthritis occurs when the smooth, shiny cartilage that lines the joint deteriorates. In some cases, this can happen after an injury but for most people it’s a result of aging and genetics. The most common locations for osteoarthritis are the:
- Knees
- Hips
- Finger and toe joints
- Upper and lower spine.
One thing we know for sure about osteoarthritis — it’s very common. An estimated 21 million people in the United States alone have OA. If you’re fortunate enough to live to age 75 or older, chances are perhaps as high as 70% to 90% that you’ll have OA in at least some joints. With these numbers staring at you, it’s reasonable to wonder if there’s something you can do to prevent it. Specifically, should you limit your activities so you don’t “wear out” your joints?
Is Exercise the Culprit?
For most people, exercise is a good thing. But at what point does exercise do more harm to joints than good? Are running and jogging actually harmful for the knees or other weight-bearing joints? Does exercising too long or too intensely damage the joints?
Clearly, running stresses the weight-bearing joints. In fact, up to 5 to 7 times your weight is supported by your knees while jogging. Weight-bearing joints are subject to even higher stresses with jumping or suddenly starting and stopping over and over. Although the research is mixed, long-term runners are not clearly more likely to wear out their weight-bearing joints than people who are sedentary.
For example, a large study of runners published in 1998 found that over a nine-year period, members of a running club ages 50 and older had no higher incidence of OA than an otherwise similar group of non-runners. A more recent study came to a similar conclusion. Runners averaging 3.5 miles of roadwork each day had 25% less musculoskeletal pain than those averaging just 2 miles each week.
A little soreness might be worth suffering through if you enjoy running (or other physical activity) and want the cardiovascular benefits. But sudden, severe injury (a fracture or ligament tear) from repetitive use can cause cartilage damage that can lead to osteoarthritis even though it may take years for it to develop.
That’s why experts recommend that you avoid sudden increases in how far or how fast you run so that you don’t develop a stress fracture. Here’s what happens. The repeated pounding of running causes a bone in the foot or leg to break because it can’t repair itself as fast as it is injured. This is one example of “overtraining,” or exercising so much that an injury follows.
So, if you are training for a special event, such as a marathon or tryouts for the lacrosse team, you probably need to dial your training up a notch or two. To avoid a stress fracture or other injuries related to overtraining, follow these two rules of thumb:
- Don’t increase your effort by more than 5% to 10% per week. For example, if you’ve been comfortable running 3 miles in 30 minutes (10-minute miles) five days a week, don’t suddenly start running eight-minute miles. You might be able to do it, but you may pay for it.
- Don’t increase your distance and speed at the same time. Change one or the other, and do it gradually. If you notice pain or discomfort in one part of your body that doesn’t promptly improve with rest, back off — you may be pushing things too fast.
When it comes to the question of joint-use and osteoarthritis, it’s important to distinguish a sudden, severe injury like a fracture or ligament tear, from a repetitive-use injury that can occur from running, for example. A joint fracture may lead to osteoarthritis years later. So, for people who are not participating in highly competitive activities in which acute injuries are common, there is no clear connection between repetitive use and osteoarthritis.
Consider Your Hands
Perhaps the best argument against a direct connection between use (or overuse) and osteoarthritis is when OA affects the hands. Finger joints with OA look very similar to the knees with OA, yet we don’t bear weight on the hands — at least I don’t. There’s also the observation that “handedness” doesn’t play a part in osteoarthritis. If 90% of people are right-handed and if osteoarthritis were purely use-related, there ought to be a lot more right-hand arthritis compared to left-hand involvement. That’s simply not the case.
Hand OA is a good example of genetics at work: If your parent or other first-degree relative has OA of the hands, it markedly increases your risk of the condition.
Protecting Your Joints From Stress Versus Disease
“Use it or lose it” is certainly a concept that applies to the joints. The fact is, joints were meant to be used. A condition appropriately called “frozen shoulder” can develop within a week or two if the shoulder doesn’t move, even if there was no injury involved! That’s a good reason to avoid using a sling for prolonged periods and why range of motion exercises are so important after an injury or surgery. It’s also why people who already have arthritis are encouraged to keep moving.
The concept of “joint protection” is typically applied to people who have arthritis as a way to encourage use while avoiding excessive stress on the joints. For example, rather than carrying a heavy load with your hands, rest it on your forearms and use your arms rather than hands to carry it. The same concept is applied to exercise — swimming or biking provide excellent cardiovascular exercise that is easier on the joints than jogging.
These measures may lead to less pain or stiffness — that is, they may protect you from joint pain by avoiding stress to the joints. Unfortunately, that’s not the same as protecting the joints from deterioration, which joint-protection measures cannot reliably accomplish.
What Causes OA?
If OA is not caused by wearing out the joints, what causes it to develop? The answer varies, depending on whom you ask and whose joints you ask about. In fact, there is often no single cause that can be identified. There may be several potential explanations. Often there is no reasonable explanation at all.
The most common risk factors for osteoarthritis include:
- Advanced age
- Obesity
- Family history – Up to 50% of osteoarthritis is thought to be related to inherited tendency to develop joint degeneration
- Injury – especially a fracture that involves the joint)
- Rheumatoid arthritis (or other diseases that cause chronic joint inflammation)
However, these are risk factors, not causes. Plenty of older, overweight people never develop OA.
The Bottom Line
If you’re worried about “using up” your joints, remember that there is not a limit on the number of times you can make a fist and there is no “shelf-life” for the knees. From my reading of the available research, it’s much better to be physically active than to hold back to protect your joints. If they aren’t bothering you with the activities you’re doing, it’s unlikely you are harming them. Perhaps someday you’ll have 90 year-old knees that serve you well and feel just fine. But if you do develop arthritis, don’t blame the exercise. In the absence of significant injury, it might make more sense to blame your parents.
Keeping your resolutions by Britt Michaelian
The holidays are over. New Year’s resolutions are fresh and waiting to be utlized. New members have joined gyms in the hopes that they will get in shape in the new year. People are eating healthier and feeling good about the year to come. And how are you feeling? Did you make any resolutions?
It all seems quite daunting when you think about the committment you have made to yourself to be a better you. It is a noble aspiration, to be better at something, but often times can lead to disappointment as people fail to follow through with their goals. One thing that we always hear around this time of year is that people are really going to “make a change”. They want everything to be different and think that the new year will be the answer to their past shortcomings. Then, after a few days or weeks of dedication, people find themselves back in their old habits.
The Secret to Keeping Resolutions
Here is the secret to making New Year’s resolutions stick… make them small and attainable! Set bench marks to raise your goals and reward yourself for achieving them! If joining a gym and working out every day seems like a dream come true, but a reality in Neverland, you need to get real. You don’t want to waste your money on something that you will never use. Instead, make a committment to going for a walk at least 3 times a week for 20 minutes. Then, if you can stick with that for a month, ramp it up to walking 5 days a week for 20 minutes. If you achieve goal #2, reward yourself with a massage or another healthy treat. Three months down the road, if you are still walking 5 days a week, join a gym and get a trainer (you only need a few sessions to get you started).
This same message translates to eating (or drinking or any other change you want to address). Take small steps and as you achieve those goals, challenge yourself until you feel happy with what you have accomplished. If eating healthy is your thing, start by eating a healthy breakfast then move on to lunch and dinner. Personally, I find that if I eat a piece of fruit and a cup of yogurt in the morning, I feel good about having eaten at least one good meal a day and then I am less likely to ruin it by going crazy later. I like treats, but am trying not to eat them as often. It is all about moderation, as they say…
Be Your Own Cheerleader (Or Find One!)
Be good to yourself, not hard on yourself. If you find that you are having a hard time with your choices and habits, it might help to look at what you are getting from those behaviors that you are not willing to part with. If it is really a problem, you might consider finding a good friend to talk to about it or even a support group or therapist.
A new year is the start of a new opportunity to love yourself and treat yourself well. Even though we are on the second month of 2008, take this time to look at yourself and find ways that you can be a better you without making yourself miserable. Enjoy your life and look to others for help if you need it. Life is about making the world a better place, so start with you and have a healthy and happy new year!
How to Assemble Family Disaster and Emergency Plans By Britt Michaelian
In this day and age it is unrealistic to think that anyone is exempt from the dangers of natural or man-made disaster. As a result, it is crucial for families to take some simple steps to make sure they are prepared in the event of an earthquake, flood, tsunami, wild fire, terrorist attack or other catastrophic event. Find out what disasters are likely in your area and put together a Family Evacuation Plan.
If earthquakes are common in your area, it is a good idea to have bag under each person’s bed with a flashlight, change of clothes and pair of sturdy shoes, so it is easy to grab and leave quickly. In the event of a fire, families should have two exit strategies for each room in their home. Whether your Family Evacuation Plan is to exit using a window or a door is up to you, but the best way to make sure everyone is prepared is to take 15 minutes as a family to go into each room and discuss the possibilities. While you do this, make sure you take notes and after your initial home tour, make a diagram to post in the kitchen or other high traffic area.
Another important element of the Family Evacuation Plan is to establish meeting places outside of the home where everyone will meet up if an evacuation is in order. The first meeting place should be directly outside of the home, for example on the sidewalk or in front of the next-door neighbor’s house. The second meeting place is an out of area location, one that is outside of your immediate neighborhood.
As part of the Family Disaster Plan, you will need to practice duck, cover and hold (for earthquakes or tornados) and stop, drop and roll (for fire) drills with anyone over the age of 2 in your home. The more prepared you are for the worst case scenario, the better off your family will be in an actual disaster.
All of this information should be recorded and discussed regularly, so that parents, grandparents and anyone who might be taking care of your children will know the plan as well. Find out what school and workplace evacuation plans are and record all of this in your Family Emergency Plan folder. Make sure you include local and out of area contact names, phone numbers and addresses with this information. Again, place this information in a folder and place it in an area that is easy to find.
At all times, each family member should carry a card with the above listed contact info and evacuation sites. After a disaster, each person in the family should contact the same out of area contact and let that person know their location and physical condition as soon as possible.
Disaster Kit Supplies
The most important components of the Disaster Kit are 3 days of food, water, medical supplies, sturdy shoes, blankets, flashlights, batteries and cash. All of these items should be stored in durable, easy-to-carry containers such as backpacks, duffel bags, or covered trash containers. I recommend plastic containers as we have had little critters eat through our duffle bags to get to our food supplies. Don’t forget to put together kits for your car and work as well. The following list of supplies is recommended by the Office of Homeland Security:
* A three-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) in non-breakable containers.
* A three-day supply of nonperishable food per person.
* Food, water and supplies for pets
* One or two changes of clothing per person, and sturdy shoes. Also
include rain gear, hats and gloves.
* One blanket or sleeping bag per person.
* A first aid kit that includes your family’s prescription medications.
* Emergency tools and supplies including a battery-powered radio,
waterproof matches, compass, whistle, non-electric can opener,
utility knife, map, flashlight, and plenty of extra batteries.
*Sanitation supplies.
* Special items for infants (formula, diapers, bottles), the elderly
(prescriptions, denture needs, eyeglasses) or disabled family
members (special equipment, hearing aid batteries.)
* Important family documents stored in a waterproof container. These
can include wills, insurance policies, passports, immunization histories, and other family records.
*** Keep in mind that if you feel like this is more than you have time to assemble, there are companies that provide pre-assembled kits for you. Here are a few links for you:
One more thing you might want to consider assembling is recommended by FEMA:
Kids Activity Survival Kit
* Favorite books
* Crayons, pencils or marking pens and plenty of paper
* Scissors and glue
* Two favorite toys such as a doll or action figure
* One or two board games
* A deck of cards
* A puzzle
* Small people figures and play vehicles that you can use to play out what is happening during your disaster — such as ambulance, fire truck, helicopter, dump truck, police car, small boats.
* Favorite stuffed animal or puppet
* Favorite blanket or pillow
* Pictures of the family and pet
Proper Mattress Can Improve Sleep Comfort, Reduce Pain, Says American Chiropractic Association
A good night’s sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle; however, an estimated 70 million Americans complain of sleeplessness. This October, during National Chiropractic Month, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is offering advice to help consumers select comfortable mattresses and pillows that can help limit unnecessary back and neck pain.
“Americans spend one-third of their lives sleeping, so it makes sense to invest in a sleep set that can improve your comfort and overall health,” says Scott Bautch, DC, DACBOH, spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association. “Many people don’t realize the reason for their neck or back pain is literally right underneath them—it’s their mattress and pillow.”
A 2006 study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine showed that sleeping on a new mattress can significantly reduce stiffness and back pain. Researchers found that study participants reported immediate and sustained benefits after sleeping on a new mattress. This was especially true of participants who entered the study with back pain complaints, as they reported a 63 percent improvement in back discomfort with a new mattress.
When it comes time to purchase a new mattress, the ACA recommends the following:
Shop for Support
Look for a mattress that provides uniform support from head to toe; if there are gaps between your body and the mattress (such as at the waist), you’re not getting the full support you need. Mattresses can be too firm; pay close attention to uncomfortable pressure on prominent body features such as the shoulders, hips and low back.
Shop for Comfort
When mattress shopping, give each option a good trial run before you buy; lie down on a mattress for a minimum of five to 10 minutes to get a good idea of its comfort level. If you cannot find a comfortable position, you probably have the wrong mattress.
Shop for Size
Does the bed provide enough room for both you — and your sleeping partner if you have one — to stretch and roll over? The ideal mattress will also minimize the transfer of movement from one sleeping partner to the other, which means one person shouldn’t feel motion as the other leaves the bed.
Generally, a mattress should be replaced every 5 to 8 years to ensure proper support and comfort. Be aware that life’s changes can signal the need for a new mattress as well. For example, people who have lost or gained a considerable amount of weight, those who have a medical condition which has changed the way they sleep, or even those who’ve changed partners may need to consider a new mattress.
Pillows important, too
After investing in a quality mattress, don’t forget to choose an equally supportive pillow, advises ACA spokesperson Steven Conway, DC, DACBOH, Esq. “People will spend thousands of dollars on a mattress and then skimp on a pillow that doesn’t support their head and neck properly,” he observes.
When selecting a new pillow, ACA recommends selecting one with ergonomically-designed features, which will enhance comfort and limit pain. Look for pillows that are:
- Designed to keep the spine in natural alignment. When lying on your side, your head and neck should remain level with your mid and lower spine. When lying on your back, your head and neck should remain level with your upper back and spine. Avoid pillows that are so thick or thin that they angle your head and neck away from your body.
- Designed to support different sleep positions, including side sleeper or back sleeper. (It’s best never to sleep on your stomach, as it’s the most back unfriendly sleeping position.)
- Hypoallergenic.
There is no such thing as a universal fit when it comes to pillows, Dr. Conway notes. “Find a pillow that is consistent with the shape and size of your body. If you find yourself sleeping on your side with one hand propped under your pillow, that’s a clue that you’re not getting the support you need from that pillow,” he explains.
If you continue to experience pain and discomfort at night or have difficulty falling asleep, visit your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to treat spinal problems that can interfere with a restful night’s sleep. They can also offer nutritional and ergonomic advice that can help improve the quality of your sleep. To find a chiropractor near you, view ACA’s searchable member database.
The American Chiropractic Association is the nation’s leading chiropractic organization representing more than 16,000 doctors of chiropractic and their patients.
Danger-Proofing Your Home By Britt Michaelian, MA
One day a few weeks ago, our 2 year old escaped within a matter of a minute from my sister’s front door. Three adults and five kids frantically searched for the toddler, only to find that she had opened the front door, climbed down the porch steps and scaled a very steep driveway, ending up in the middle of the street.
Was I being irresponsible? No. Was I paying close attention? Yes. Could I have done anything differently? Not really. As you hear with any tragic situation, it only takes a moment. With toddlers, this is especially true and this is why we not only need to be constantly supervising our children, but we also need to be prepared in case there is a medical emergency. The fact is that there are moments where the child can slip away or where an injury can occur no matter how closely you supervise a child.
This story is an example of when childproofing is not enough. What can we do about it? Starting before your child can crawl, go through your entire home as an octopus bulldozer. Get on your knees, open the front door and crawl in. Grab onto and pull down on anything in your reach. Everything that has the potential to be opened, pinched, tumbled or broken needs to be addressed.
Start with getting electrical socket covers and place them high and low, in every electrical socket in your home! If you do this first, you will not be sorry! Our two year old has learned how to pull these out, but we still use them! Even though she can remove these covers, they are one added step that gives us time to react when we see her at the electrical outlet. While you are at it, get power strip covers and any cord ties to eliminate a tangle of cords that can be very intriguing to children.
If a piece of furniture or large object, such as a TV, moves or shifts at all in your crazy octopus experiment, it has the potential to fall and needs to be anchored to the wall. If a vase or other heavy object can become loose or fall, it needs to be strapped down or moved to another location where it is not a danger. If drawers or cabinets can be opened, put safety latches on them. Different safety latches work best in different types of cabinets. Some cannot be used if your cabinet has a wide frame or irregular shape, so it is important to try different brands to figure out which latch works best on your furniture. We tried as many as four types of latches in some locations before finding one that worked!
Our smart, adorable little toddler girl has broken a lot of our child safety latches (and the ones at the doctor’s office) so, I highly recommend making sure any choking hazards, such as dry pasta noodles, hard candy or other hard foods be stored up high both in the refrigerator and in other areas of the kitchen. Obviously, liquid detergent and other cleaning chemicals are extremely dangerous and should be stored in the highest possible location as well. Over the refrigerator or oven are usually safe.
Until recently, our toddler could not open doors, so I found that keeping all of the doors in the house closed is a good way to monitor her location. Most importantly, the bathroom door needs to remain shut and the toilet closed with a toilet guard.
Other hazards in the bathroom include but are not limited to the bathtub, medicine cabinet, any drawers, hairdryers, make up, nail polish, lotions and potions as well as anything that can fall on top of the child. Don’t forget, these drawers and cabinets need safety latches as well!
Another thing to keep in mind is that medications may be difficult for children to open, but not impossible. Keep ALL medications stored up high and out of reach, even when your child is very sick. And DO NOT keep any medications on your own nightstand! Many children suffer from accidental poisonings as a result of medications being left out in places where the child can easily reach them.
If you have stairs in your house, you will need a gate at the top of the stairs and another gate at the bottom to keep baby from climbing up without your assistance (and possibly falling down). If your stairway has rails that are more than 2 3/4 inches wide, you will need to get a banister guard made to keep baby from going between the rails. You will also need to make sure your windows are safe. If you have safety mechanisms on your windows, use them! If you don’t have safety windows, you can buy window guards or stints that can be removed quickly by an adult in case of fire.
When your toddler is big enough to reach the counter or stove, get a counter or stove guard. This handy plastic shield will block little hands from getting burned or pulling knives down when you are cutting food for dinner. A woman we know has a large scar on her cheek because when she was 9 months old, she pulled a dishtowel down from the counter. There was a knife on top of the dishtowel that went through her cheek and the scar remains today.
In fact, make sure all knives are pushed all the way to the back of the counter, if not stored in one of the latched cabinets! Our adorable two year old has pushed a chair over to the counter, climbed up and grabbed knives from the knife block in about 2 seconds. In addition, remember to cook on the back burners of the stove. If you are making a lot of food and need to use the front burners, have someone entertain baby outside of the kitchen or put the baby in a safe place while you cook! Every home should also have fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors that are tested every year (keep a journal of all appliances that need parts tested or changed in your kitchen).
Security alarms are another thing that parents underestimate the value of! Security alarms are important to protect from burglars and home invasions, but they also have wonderful functions such as a warning beep when a door or window is opened or closed and fire alarms that signal the fire department.
I highly recommend hiring a childproofing expert to come to your house to install every safety device that your house can accommodate! I also highly recommend and believe it should be mandatory for all parents and caregivers to take CPR and first aid courses every year.
In addition to this, it is important for you to prepare a family log that is readily available in case of emergency. You can use a binder and make spread sheets with your family’s important information. Make a list of any and all medical history items and medications that anyone in your family takes regularly. Have an extra dose on hand in case of a natural disaster or other emergency and list where that is (better yet, store a few in a pouch with the log!) Any information that you or another caregiver would need to know should be in this log.
Families need to have an outside the immediate area person to contact if there is a catastrophic emergency. All family members should have this person’s phone number on hand at all times. This person should also have a copy of your household’s important documents. Each household should have an emergency survival kit with enough food, water, medication and supplies for a week. Each vehicle should have an emergency survival pack (including water and food) and a well-stocked first aid kit.
Baby Cribs Recalled After Three Deaths
Following article is from the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON (AP) — About 1 million Simplicity and Graco cribs are being recalled after three children became entrapped in their cribs and died of suffocation, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Friday.
Two infants, a 6-month-old and a 9-month-old, died in the recalled cribs, which were sold through May 2007. A 1-year-old child died in a newer model of the cribs, which has not been recalled but is being investigated by the safety agency, CPSC officials said.
Commission spokesman Ed Kang would not comment on when or where the children died. Simplicity spokesman Joe Householder said the company will not release further details about the deaths out of respect for the families.
In all three deaths, the consumer had installed the drop-rail side of the crib upside down, the CPSC said. This creates a gap in the crib that children can slide into and suffocate.
Seven other infants have been entrapped in the cribs, according to the CPSC. There have been 55 reports of the cribs’ drop sides detaching or the hardware failing to hold the side to the crib.
Simplicity Inc., of Reading, Pa., is listed as manufacturer of all the cribs, which were made in China. The recalled cribs were sold nationwide, under the Simplicity or Graco brands, from January 1998 through May 2007. The recall involves multiple models and model numbers.
“Simplicity strives to make safe products, that is our number one priority. That’s why we worked with the CPSC to take this action,” Simplicity president Ken Waldman said in a statement.
In a separate recall in June, the commission recalled about 40,000 Nursery-in-a-Box cribs, manufactured by Simplicity, because the assembly instructions incorrectly explain how to attach the drop side.
None of the cribs that Simplicity currently supplies to stores is included in a recall, the company said in a statement.
The commission, however, cautioned consumers who have the newer versions not covered by the recall to check to make sure the drop side is installed right side up and securely attached. The newer hardware has a flexible tab at the top of the lower track and a permanent stop at the bottom. The older hardware has a flexible tab at the bottom of the lower tracks.
In an earlier Simplicity recall, a 19-month-old child in Myrtle Creek, Ore., died Jan. 6, 2006, in a crib that carried the Graco logo, the CPSC said in February 2006. Mattress support slats came out of the crib, and the child suffocated after getting trapped between the mattress and the footboard. That type of crib had been included in a December 2005 recall of about 104,000 Aspen 3 in 1 Cribs.
The company is offering free repairs for cribs with older hardware. For more information, consumers can contact Simplicity at 888-593-9274.
Heart-healthy foods keep your ticker in top shape
The following article is from CNN health. I found it to be a very concise and straight forward.
Creating custom food plans for patients isn’t the hard part of Bethany Thayer’s job. For the Michigan-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, one of the most difficult aspects of her work is helping patients interpret the often-contradictory health news they hear each day.
“Patients often ask me, ‘Why does nutrition advice flip-flop all the time?’ ” Thayer says. They may have a point. Take the recent dustup over fat recommendations, for example. In 2005, the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended limiting the amount of fat you consume each day to 20 to 35 percent of total calories. But in a year later, the front page of The New York Times declared: “Low-Fat Diet Does Not Cut Health Risks.” No wonder Thayer’s patients — and many others — are confused. What should the average person make of these mixed messages?
Thayer’s answer: Take the long view. “One study isn’t going to determine what we should be eating,” she says. “Nutrition is a complex science — what appears to some as flip-flopping is actually defining and refining some of the recommendations we make.”
The food factor
Nowhere is the evolving nature of nutrition science clearer than in the fight against heart disease, the No. 1 cause of death among Americans. Some foods that were once considered to increase the risk of disease, like fats and alcohol, now don’t seem so bad — in fact, limited amounts may play an active role in helping ward off heart disease. As nutrition knowledge has grown, so has scientific understanding of heart disease, a maze of cholesterol levels, blood pressure, arterial inflammation, and lifestyle factors, such as diet, stress, and fitness levels.
This is why prevention requires a multipronged approach — but what you eat is certainly key. “Just eating certain foods isn’t going to completely prevent heart disease, but they can take the fight to the next level,” says Mikelle McCoin, R.D., M.P.H., senior nutrition educator at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease in San Francisco, California. To identify those foods, we spoke to Thayer, McCoin, and three other leading nutrition researchers. The result is a guide to the nutritional architecture that supports a heart-healthy diet. CookingLight.com: Take our heart-smart quiz
Heart helper: soluble fiber
Soluble fiber acts like a scouring pad for your circulatory system, clearing out harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol before it has a chance to stick to artery walls, where it forms thick, hard deposits that block blood flow. “Soluble fiber is potent in lowering ldl,” says Wahida Karmally, Dr.P.H., M.S., R.D., director of nutrition at the Irving Center for Clinical Research at Columbia University Medical Center. According to a study Karmally co-wrote in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, people who add just 3 grams of soluble fiber to their diets each day (the research team used three-fourths of a cup of whole-grain oat cereal, three times daily) can lower their LDL levels by 5 percent in six weeks. While that might sound small, consider this: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has found that each 1 percent reduction in a person’s LDL cholesterol levels can be expected to reduce his or her overall heart disease risk by 2 percent. The other form of fiber, insoluble, also has a scouring effect, but in a different way; it helps move food through your digestive system.
Find it in: Whole grains, such as oatmeal, bran, and barley, as well as fruits, vegetables, and legumes are great sources. Some of these foods also contain other compounds, such as phytochemicals, vitamins, and trace minerals, that may help fight heart disease — another reason fruits, vegetables, and whole grains frequently top nutritionists’ lists of recommended foods. CookingLight.com: Whole grain pastas
How much you need: Aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day.
Heart helpers: unsaturated fats
Although conventional wisdom once held that the heart-healthiest diets were practically fat-free, that notion has changed in recent years. “You want a diet that’s moderate in fat,” says Alice H. Lichtenstein, D.Sc., chairperson of the American Heart Association’s nutrition committee and director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. The best way to achieve it: Restrict the two types of fat that don’t benefit your heart — saturated and trans-fatty acids — and substitute two “good” fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Monounsaturated fats help raise levels of helpful high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. These HDL molecules act like bodyguards, capturing “bad” LDL molecules in the arteries and escorting them to your liver, where they are filtered out of the body. According to the results of a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, people who increased their intake of monounsaturated fats in place of saturated fats and high-sugar carbohydrates over three years reduced their risk of heart disease by 20 percent.
Find them in: Vegetable oils, nuts, olives, avocados, and fish are all good sources of mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Just remember that any source of fat — whether it’s olive oil or butter — is calorie dense. “One gram of fat contains nine calories, compared to only four calories for carbohydrates and protein,” Thayer says. That’s why substitution is crucial; you want to add healthful fats to your diet while subtracting not-so-healthful ones to keep daily calorie intake on an even keel.CookingLight.com: Eight surprisingly nutritious foods and how to eat more of them
How much you need: The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that 20 to 35 percent of your total daily calories should come from fat. Of that amount, no more than 10 percent should come from saturated fat. For someone on a 2,000-calorie per day diet, that translates to 65 grams of unsaturated fats.
Heart helpers: omega 3 fatty acids
Polyunsaturated fats are helpful in their own right, but a subset of polys, called omega 3 fatty acids, are amazing multi-taskers, simultaneously combating several heart disease risk factors. Omega 3s permeate the cells that line your circulatory system. They make your arteries more supple, which helps reduce blood pressure and prevent arterial inflammation. They also help regulate the electrical impulses that keep your heart beating steadily, preventing arrhythmia. But omega 3s’ neatest trick is changing the quality of LDL cholesterol molecules. “Omega 3s help reduce the rate of plaque buildup by making LDL cholesterol lighter and fluffier, so blood vessels can’t take it up as easily,” says Marguerite M. Engler, Ph.D., a cardiovascular researcher and professor at the University of California in San Francisco.
Find them in: Fatty cold-water fish such as salmon, pollock, swordfish, tuna, mackerel, and herring are the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Fish contain the two types of omega 3s that the body uses most efficiently: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Foods such as soybeans, walnuts, and flaxseed also contain omega 3 fatty acids; however, the type — called alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) — is not as readily available to the body as DHA or EPA. “You’re not going to get high levels of DHA and EPA by eating walnuts or flaxseed because your body can’t metabolize the plant fat as efficiently,” Engler says. CookingLight.com: Food combinations that lower your cholesterol
How much you need: As yet, there is no Food and Drug Administration-approved Reference Daily Intake for omega 3s. However, the FDA and the American Heart Association recommend eating fresh fish at least twice a week. A six-ounce serving of salmon, herring, or tuna provides a gram or more of omega 3s.
Heart Helper: Alcohol
If you enjoy an occasional drink with dinner, you can take comfort in knowing that consuming alcohol in moderation may be good for your heart. First, alcohol makes the blood somewhat less likely to clot. Second, alcohol consumption helps elevate Hal cholesterol levels and reduce C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of arterial inflammation and heart-disease risk. Adults who consume one or two drinks each day can reduce their overall risk of developing heart disease by 30 to 50 percent, according to the American Heart Association. (One serving of alcohol equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of 80-proof spirits.)
You don’t have to start drinking to improve your heart health, however. Plenty of other lifestyle changes can improve your health in a similar manner to alcohol, such as regular exercise and a healthful diet.
Find it in: While red wine has made headlines for the antioxidants it contains, any type of alcohol delivers the same benefits to your heart. The way to obtain them: moderation. How much you need: For women, one serving is best. Men can drink two because enzymes in their stomachs are more effective at metabolizing alcohol. Beyond those amounts, alcohol can cause more harm than help. A study of more than 2,500 people published in Circulation found CRP levels in people who consumed more than the recommended amount of alcohol were higher than in those who drank it in moderation.
Soy story, revised
Don’t Miss
Recent scientific findings have questioned soy’s heart-health benefits. For years, health authorities believed that soy protein was especially good for your heart. In 1999, the Food and Drug Administration approved a health claim for soy-based foods to tout their heart-healthy benefits. But when the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (an arm of the National Institutes of Health) evaluated 68 major soy studies as part of a periodic examination of new scientific developments, the legume came up short. When examined closely, the researchers found that soy’s benefits were inconsistent. Studies tested a wide variety of products containing different doses of soy protein and other nutritional components of soy foods, such as phytoestrogens, which may have affected the outcomes of the studies. What’s more, the average dose used in the studies (36 grams of soy protein per day) was equivalent to eating more than a pound of tofu daily. The findings have changed the way many health organizations view soy. “By itself, soy protein doesn’t have a big effect on heart disease risk,” says Alice H. Lichtenstein, D.Sc., chairperson of the American Heart Association’s nutrition committee. “But if you substitute soy foods like tofu, which are low in saturated fat, for fatty cuts of meat, your heart will come out ahead.”
Start now
When incorporating these heart-healthy foods into your diet, take small steps. First, identify your current dietary patterns so you can begin changing them, says Thayer. “For example, find something that’s healthy, that you like, and that’s easy to prepare, and put it in your repertoire,” she says. Maybe that’s as simple as eating one extra piece of fruit daily, or feeding your family fish twice a week. Then build on the momentum you’ve established. “Once you have that new habit going, start another,” Thayer says
The original article can be found at www.cnn.com
Into to Gyrotonics by Erin Landaker
A new system of movement is making its way into the eyes and hearts of the public. Originally created as yoga for dancers, GYROTONIC® is quickly becoming recognized as a movement form embraced by people of all ages and ability levels. The spiraling movement of Gyrotonic embraces the natural circular tendencies of the joints. More formally called The Gyrotonic Expansion System, Gyrotonic is also a method of decompressing the body from daily stress and the life-long reaction to gravity. Specially designed equipment was created to assist the body in understanding the circular and spherical concepts that this system is based on. The idea is to focus on the health of the joints by strengthening and lengthening all muscles surrounding any given joint. By that we can then create a central connection to the limbs, giving our arms and legs the strength of our torso, and our torso the support of both the arms and the legs. This immense coordination creates a freedom of movement and good stacking for the support of the overworked neck and shoulders. Gyrotonic was originally focused on healing and cross-training super athletes. Now it has been brought into the public arena and the changes occurring in bodies young and old are surprising people all over the world. So vast in its abilities, Gyrotonic easily has more than 7,000 exercises. Boredom is never an issue. It can be beautiful, lazy, functional, rehabilitative, or incredibly cardiovascular; the tone of any workout is in the hands of the client and trainer.
Originally known as “The Art of Infinite Movement,” Center GYROTONIC® was the first studio to bring Gyrotonic to Oregon in 2001. Emma Ledbetter, owner of this successful studio, remains the only Master Trainer in Oregon today. She has created a higher learning place for instructors and clients of all ages and ability levels. Many other studios now offer Gyrotonic throughout the Portland area, although Center Gyrotonic remains the only studio that offers only Gyrotonic without the paired offerings of pilates or yoga, allowing Center Gyrotonic to offer seven Gyrotonic towers as well as specialized Gyrotonic equipment, such as the Ladder, the Gyrotoner, and the Baby Dragon, a tower designed specially for children. Center GYROTONIC® is nestled in the newly developing Northeast section of Portland. They offer everything from private instruction to group classes for every skill level. If you are interested in learning more, please call the studio at: (503)223-3741, or check out their website at: www.centergyrotonic.com.